Circuit controller



Patented Mar. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

Application filed April 11, 1921. Serial No. 460,304.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TAL.\L\ T. Gnnrnwoon, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Templeton. in the county of lVorccster and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Circuit Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric circuit controllers and has particular reference to timers for automobiles and other internal combustion engines.

A common type of timer includes a plurality of stationary contact members carried by an enclosing casing adapted to be moved angularly to advance or retard the timing of the ignition spark in the engine cylinders and a rotatable contact member in the form, usually, of a roller or brush or equivalent, adapted to pass over said stationary contact members successively in mechanical and electrical contact therewith to establish the ignition circuit to the proper cylinder.

Due to the mechanical contact between the rotatable member and the stationary contact members, wear occurs at a relatively rapid rate and the electrical contact soon becomes uncertain and the engine operation is deleteriously affected.

An object of this invention is the provision of a circuit controller or timer in which all rubbing and rolling and other mechanical contact between the rotatable element and the stationary contact elements of the device are eliminated whereby to provide for a long useful life of the device.

The circuit controller embodying the invention may include stationary and movable contact members carried by a casing or other supporting structure. The movable contact members may be formed of, or include in their structures, magnetic material. The rotatable element may comprise a magnet, preferably permanent. which is adapted to rotate into and away from proximity to said movable contact members, but without making mechanical contact therewith, and at tract and move them into electrical contact with their cooperating contact members, thereby to control the ignition circuit to the proper cylinder of the engine.

A further obejct is generally to improve the construction and operation of circuit cc ntrollers.

F ig. 1 is a sectional view along line 1--1 of Fig. 2 of a circuit controller embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the device.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device with a portion of the enclosing shell thereof broken away to expose the stationary and movable contact members.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a movable contact member.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the rotatable permanent magnet structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 6 and 7 are end and side views, respectively. of a modified form of rotatable magnet structure. I

As here shown. the circuit controller or timer chosen to illustrate the invention includes the shell 10 having the cylindrical end portion 1O adapted to be removably received and angularly movable on a supporting shoulder 11 of the engine structure through which the timer drive shaft 12 is extended into the interior of the shell. The timer herein shown is adapted for use in connection with a tour cylinder engine and consequently has four sets of stationary and movable contact members which. as is common practice, are. equi-angrularly disposed within and carried by the cylindrical portion 10 of the shell 10. Said sets of contact members are identical and consequently but one set will be described.

A contact member supporting screw 13 having the enlarged head 14 formed with the conical face 14 extends outwardly through the insulated bushine 15 which is received in an aperture in the shell; and the screw is thereby electrically insulated from said shell. An insulating washer 16 is received on said screw on the outside of the shell and a nut 17 is threaded thereon and adapted to be drawn snugly against said washer to hold the screw with the contact members hereinafter to be described securely in place.

The movable contact member 18 is formed, preferably, of a resilient steel strip of suitahle dimensions. Said member is adapted to be attracted and moved to a circuit-controlling position when a. rotatable magnet, hereinafter to be described, is rotated thereunder. Said contact member is of an elongated U-form and has the enlarged armature portion 18 on the lower leg; and also has the upwardly reflexed end-portion 18 bearing the contact tip 19 which is adapted to make contact with a cooperating stationary contact tip. The upper leg of the contact member is formed with the enlarged end-portion 18 having the slot 18 therein; and said end portion is received between the head of the screw 13 and the insulating bushing 15 and is in electrical contact with said screw and insulated from the shell 10. The head 14 of the screw is received between the upper and lower legs of the contact member and the shape of said contact member is such that, in unattracted position, the lower leg is resiliently pressed against the face 14 of the head which thereby forms a stop member for the movable contact member. Preferably, the head 14 is formed of brass or other non-magnetic material.

The stationary contact member includes the relatively stiii strip 20 of, preferably, non-magnetic material and has an aperture in one end thereof through which said bushing 15 is extended and by which it is insulated from the screw 13. The body-portion of said contact-member is preferably shaped to conform, with and lies against the inner face of and is in electrical engagement with said shell 10. The end portion 20 of said contact member is downwardly and inwardly reflexcd beyond the end of the movable contact member and is provided with a contact tip 21 which is adapted to be engaged by the corresponding contact tip 19 of said magnetically movable contact member 18. lioth contact incinbers will be securely held in operative position when said nut 17 on the outside of the shell is tightened. It is obvious that when said movable contact member is magnetically attracted with sufiicient force it will move downward and make cont-act with the stationary contact member and when the attractive force is removed said movable contact member will be moved, by its resiliency, away from contact with the stationary contact member and against the head 1 of the screw 13.

The rotatable permanent magnet, which is adapted to control the movable contact members, and as here shown in a bi-polar structure, comprises the hub 23 having the aperture 23 adapted to receive the reduced end ortion 12 of the shaft 12, and the two eggs or poles 23 and 23 which extend upwardly into proximity with but free from mechanical contact with the movable contact members. Said portion 12 of the shaft 12 is formed with a hole12 therein and the liub 23 is formed with a registering slot therein. A pin 24 is received in said slot and, hole and serves to key the magnet to the shaft. 25 is received on said shaft and its inturnedfiange is disposed over and serves to hold said pin in place and a nut 26 A cup washer threaded on the threaded end of said shat t serves to fix the magnet and washer axially on the shaft.

It is obvious that as said magnet is rotated by the shaft 12 under themovabh contact members said members will be pulled down and make electrical contact with said stationary contact members successively, and that when said magnet is moved out from under said movable contact members, said members will be released and will be moved, by their resiliency, free from said stationary contact members and thereby interrupt the circuit including: said contact members.

A modified form of magnet structure is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. The magnet herein shown is formed of a strip of steel shaped into U-form to provide the legs or poles 30- and 30 and a recess 30 between said poles adapted to receive the shaft 12". In this form, the poles lie more or less in the axis of the shaft as contrasted with the transverse disposition of the poles of the magnet structure of Figs. 1 and 2.

\Vhile the magnet is herein shown as the rotatable member and the movable contact member as the non-rotatable member yet, for some purposes, the magnet may be nonrotatable and the movable contact member may be rotatable, and in an obvious manner.

It is apparent that the invention may be incorporated in modified structures without departing from the spirit thereot'.

I claim:

1. A timer for internal combustion engines including a plurality of concentricalli' disposed, magnetically movable resilient contact members, cooperating stationary contact members, and a permanent magnet having shaft-attaching: means arranged to be rotated within and in proximity to said movable contact members to attract and flex them into electrical contact with said stationary contact members and subsequently pass from proximity to and release said contact members and break contact with said stationary contact members.

2. A timer for internal combustion eugines having a shell, stationary and mag:- netically movable contact. members cquiangnlarly disposed concentrically within said shell, and a permanentmagnct arranged to be rotated within said shell successively in proximity to said nhagnctically movable contact members to attract. and subsequently release them successively. said movable contact members being; angularly adjustable with relation to said magnet.

3. A timer for internal combustion eugines having a shell, stationary and magnetieally movable contact members equiangularly disposed concentrically within said shell, and a lei-polar permanent magnet structure arranged to be rotated within said shell with its poles in proximity to said magnetically movable contact members and attract and subsequently release them successively.

4. A timer for internal combustion engines having a shell, a plurality of supporting screws equi-angularly disposed about the periphery of and extended through and insulated from said shell, stationary contact members carricdby and insulated from said screws and in electrical contact with said shell. U-shaped, resilient, magnetically movable contact members carried by and electrically connected with said screws, and a magnet structure having an aperture therethrough adapted to receive a drive shaft arranged to be rotated within said shell in proximity to said movable cont-act members and attract and flex them into electrical contact with said stationary contact members and subsequently pass from proximity therewith and release said movable contact members.

5. The combination of a shell having fixed contact members and cooperating, magnetically-movable contact members disposed within and supported by it and actuating means for said magnetically-movable contact members comprising a rotat able permanent magnet structure having a hub formed with a hole therethrough for a shaft, and two spaced arms of opposite polarity extended laterally from the same side of said hub.

(3. A timer for internal combustion engines comprising the combination of a shell open at one end and closed at the other end and having fixed contact members and cooperating, magnetically-movable contact members disposed within and supported by it, and actuating means for said movable contact members comprising a rotatable permanent magnet adapted to rotate past and free from engagement with said movable contact members, whereby to attract and release them.

7. A timer for internal combustion engines having the combination of a shell, contact-supportin means carried by said shell and extended thereinto and electrically insulated therefrom and having fixed contact members at their inner ends, resilient ma"netically-movable contact members carried by said supporting means and arranged to cooperate with said fixed contact members, and a )ermanent magnet adapted to be rotated wit in said shell in proximity to said movable contact members, whereby to actuate them.

8. A timer for internal combustion engincs having the combination of an enclosing shell, a fixed and a movable contact member carried by and disposed within said shell. one of said contact members being connected electrically with said shell, and said other contact member bein electrically insulated from said shell, and a permanent magnet adapted to be rotated within said shell in proximity to said movable contact members, whereby to actuate it, said movable conta t members being angularly adjustable with relation to said magnet.

9. An ignition timer for internal combus tion engines comprising the combination of an enclosing shell having an open end arranged to be rotatably supported on and closed by the engine frame, and having a closed end opposite the open end, a plurality of magnetically movable contact members disposed about the inner periphery of said shell, stationary contact members cooperat ing with said movable contact members, and a pcrnmncnt magnet arranged for rotation within said shell concentrically about the axis of rotation of said shell in proximity to said movable contact members, whereby to actuate them.

10. An ignition timer for internal combustion engines comprising the combination of an enclosing shell having an open end arranged to be rotatably su 'iported on and closed by the engine frame, a set of magneti catty-movable contact members disposed about the inner periphery of and carried by said shell, a set of stationary contact membcrs carried by said shell and cooperating with said movable contact members, one set of contact members connected electrically with said shell, terminal members connccted with the other set of contact members and extending through and electrically insulated from said shell, and a permanent magnet arranged for rotation Within and concentric with said shell and successively past said movable contact members whereby to actuate them successively.

11. An ignition timer comprising the combination of a rotatable permanent niagnet, a shell enclosing said magnet and supported independently thereof and arranged for angular adjustment about the axis of rotation of said magnet, a plurality of mag netically-movable contact members carried by said shell and disposed in proximity to the path of travel of said magnet whereby to be actuated by said magnet, and stationary contact members cooperating with said movable contact members.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

T LMA T. GREENWOOD. 

